See also: Date Palm Appearance

The Florida palmetto is a medium sized palm tree that can grow up to 90 feet in height in wild, but is commonly seen only 50-60 feet tall. The Florida palmetto has a tan-gray trunk up to 2 feet in diameter and a crown of fan-shaped leaves.

Some species have a trunk that is fully covered with old leaf stem bases or “boots”. On other species leaf bases slough off the tree as they dry, and the trunk becomes smooth. Often one part of the trunk remains covered with “boots”, and the other part is smooth. Young species don’t have a trunk. They start to form a trunk in  about 10 years after planting.

The leaves are strongly costapalmate, arched backwards, deeply divided, bearing threadlike fibers between segments, green or yellow-green in color. The petioles are smooth and thorless.

The Sabal palmetto produces small white to cream, fragrant flowers in 4 foot long branched inflorescences. Male and female flowers are borne on the same plant.

The Sabal palm produces round, fleshy black fruits.

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